The Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched a 24-hour strike at 8 am on Thursday. Despite all IMA-registered hospitals being shut across the state, healthcare services were not massively hampered, as emergency services were available at government hospitals. Doctors are protesting against the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) permitting the registration of homoeopaths who complete the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology to prescribe modern medicine.
“Till late Thursday evening, we had only received a letter from the government stating that the matter was still in the courts and asking us to call off our strike. However, we asked that if the matter was sub judice, why was the order mentioning the registration of homoeopathy practitioners and permitting them to practise modern medicine passed by the government,” said Dr Santosh Kadam, state president, IMA.
Meanwhile, doctors in four major civic-run hospitals told mid-day that healthcare services were unhampered on Thursday, as resident and senior resident doctors provided medical assistance in emergency wards. “My peers working at IMA-registered hospitals and private clinics participated in the strike while keeping just one or two doctors in rotation for emergency services. Those like us working in BMC hospitals continued providing services in rotation at casualty wards,” said Dr Smriti Khule, a senior resident at a major civic hospital.
Dr Sanket Trivedi, resident doctor at Sion Hospital, said, “The aim is to safeguard patients from a wrong course of treatment. So, if we stop providing services altogether, the purpose won’t be served. But, yes, this token strike was necessary, and we hope that the government understands our reasons.”
Meanwhile, patients observed that the number of doctors present in the civic hospitals was visibly less. “Generally, during morning hours, there are many doctors in the OPD wards. But today, there were few of them.
Services are anyway slower in government hospitals due to the patient load. So, we did not see a huge difference there,” said Sadiq Ansari, who was visiting KEM Hospital with his pregnant wife for her routine sonography.
The IMA has hinted at a more rigorous strike after one week. “We will wait for another seven days for the government to rethink its decision. Otherwise, we will intensify our strike,” said Dr Kadam.
